Malathion (Topical)

Brand Names : Ovide

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For malathion, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to malathion. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as preservatives or dyes.

Pregnancy - Malathion may be absorbed through the skin. Although it has not been studied in pregnant women, malathion has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.

Breast-feeding - Malathion may be absorbed through the mother's skin. It is not known whether malathion passes into the breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are using this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - This medicine has been tested in children 6 years of age and older and, in effective doses, has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults. There is no specific information comparing use of malathion in children less than 6 years of age with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of malathion in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are using malathion, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are using any of the following:

• Antimyasthenics (ambenonium, neostigmine, pyridostigmine) or
• Demecarium, echothiophate, or isoflurophate eye medicine - Use of malathion with these medicines may increase the chance of side effects

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of malathion. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Anemia (severe) or
• Brain surgery, recent, or
• Liver disease or
• Malnutrition - These conditions may increase the chance of some side effects of malathion

• Asthma or
• Epilepsy or other seizure disorders or
• Heart disease or
• Myasthenia gravis or other nerve/muscle disease or
• Parkinson's disease or
• Stomach ulcer or other stomach or intestinal problems - Use of malathion may make the condition worse